1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to insertion devices for inserting leads of parts into holes in a board to thereby attach the part to the board, and particularly to a new and improved variable center distance insertion device which permits attachment of varying sized parts to a printed circuit board by adjustment of components of the device to match the varying distances between holes associated with the parts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Printed circuit boards are used extensively in the electronics industry due to their reliability and modular nature. A circuit board includes holes drilled therethrough which are interconnected with various patterns of conductive material. Electronic parts are then mounted on the board, each part including two leads extending therefrom which are bent to right angles, inserted into two holes and then clinched toward the bottom face of the board, thus attaching the part to the board and completing the electronic circuit.
Insertion devices have been developed which include components to perform the bending, inserting and clinching operations on the leads. These devices are relatively uncomplicated when all the parts to be attached to the board are of the same size, since the components which perform the above operations can be prefabricated according to a constant spacing between holes. Difficulties arise, however, when parts of varying sizes are to be attached to a board in that the center distance spacing between the two holes and leads associated with one sized part is larger or smaller than the center distance spacing between holes and leads associated with another sized part.
One approach to this problem has been to employ multiple sets of components within a single device, one set associated with each size part. Although such an arrangement will achieve the desired results, the multiplicity of components makes the device bulky, complex and expensive. Additionally, the range of sizes of parts which can be attached to a board is limited to the number of sets of components in the device.
In view of the above, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a variable center distance insertion device having a single set of components for attaching various sized parts to a board.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a variable center distance insertion device which is compact and relatively simple and of reasonable cost.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a variable center distance insertion device capable of adjusting to an unlimited range of sizes.